


to stir the heart

by LiveLaughLovex



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: AU: Alternate Season 2, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-26
Updated: 2018-08-26
Packaged: 2019-07-02 15:48:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15799662
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LiveLaughLovex/pseuds/LiveLaughLovex
Summary: “The ocean stirs the heart, inspires the imagination and brings eternal joy to the soul." - Robert WylandIt was after three weeks spent behind bars for two murders he didn’t commit that Lieutenant Commander Steve McGarrett was finally released from prison.





	to stir the heart

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first time I've published anything for these two, though I've got probably twenty thousand words stashed away on my computer about them. This is as AU as they come, partly because, of course, the relationship pointed out in the tags, and also because of how things go down with Wo Fat. I wrote this in a day and didn't check it over as much as I probably should've. I hope you enjoy it, anyway. The title, of course, comes from the quote in the summary. And, obviously, I don't own the show. If I did, then I wouldn't have to write these things to make it go the way I wanted it to back in the day.

It was after three weeks spent behind bars for two murders he didn’t commit that Lieutenant Commander Steve McGarrett was finally released from prison. It was no surprise to anyone that, two hours after his shackles were removed, the naval officer was back to work, hunting down any clues that might lead him in the direction of the international terrorist responsible for those deaths and so many others.

His team was back, as well, something that had been hard to sell to the new governor. After what he and his administration had put an American hero through, however, Samuel Denning was not thrilled at the idea of further damaging his reputation with the media, so he’d begrudgingly agreed to halt the investigations into the Five-O Task Force and allow them to return to work with the same immunity and means granted to them by the late governor.

Chin and Kono were already standing at the smartboard by the time Steve and Danny arrived at the office. Kono glanced away from her work for only a moment to offer her employer a genuine smile. “Hey, boss. Good to have you back.”

“Good to be back,” Steve replied, coming to stand on the other side of her. “What do we have so far?”

“One of Wo Fat’s former associates from the Yakuza, Touma Sato, just came up for air,” Kono informed him. “It seems like he’s in a hurry to get out of the country. Bought a ticket for Tokyo that leaves this afternoon. He’s also drained every account he has, both those that trace back to him and those connected to various aliases. Looks like he’s getting ready to run.”

“The Yakuza have completely cut Wo Fat out of the picture,” Steve pointed out. “Sato helping him could be seen as a betrayal against his people. If they were to find out, he’d become a dead man walking.”

“Yes, he would,” Kono agreed. “However, the HPD detective working undercover within the organization reported back to his bosses earlier this morning that Noshimuri has no idea that Sato’s jumped ship. There is no immediate threat to his life.”

Steve cursed quietly under his breath. “Does Hiro Noshimuri know that Wo Fat is still in Hawaii?”

“According to the UC, he’s aware that Wo Fat is here, but he’s had no involvement with him since the Yakuza cut him out,” Kono reported. “The man’s an international terrorist. Anybody involved with the law, no matter which side of it they’re playing for, constantly knows where he is.”

“What are the chances of Sato being able to smuggle this international terrorist out of the country?” Steve asked as he pinched the bridge of his nose between two fingers.

“Homeland Security’s put him on the No Fly List, TSA’s been alerted,” Kono informed the lieutenant commander. “There’s not a cop on this island or in this country that does not have a picture of him on their cell phone. His face is all over the international news and, if worse comes to worst, we do have an extradition treaty with Japan.”

“Kono, the man was just in prison,” Danny reminded her when Steve groaned and covered his eyes with his hand. “We don’t need to talk about the worst possible outcome.”

“Right. Sorry,” Kono apologized. “Sorry, boss. Look, there are HPD officers in plain clothes all over the airport. If Wo Fat even tries to step foot on a plane, his ass will be hauled into an interrogation room. He’s not going to get away this time.”

“That’s what I thought the last time, too, and then the man framed me for murder,” Steve reminded her, his voice muffled slightly by his palm.

“On the bright side, how many times can he really do that?” Kono fell silent when all three men shot her unimpressed looks. “I’m just going to keep looking through Sato’s financials, see if there’s anyone you can haul into your interrogation room while we wait.”

“Okay. Danny, let’s go check out Sato’s apartment, see if there’s anything HPD missed,” Steve suggested, brushing a hand against Kono’s back as he made his way past. His partner followed quickly after, leaving the young officer alone with her cousin.

Kono shook her head as she watched the two of them go. “We’re going to find him this time, right? He’s not going to get away with this again?”

“No,” Chin said definitively, knowing what she needed to hear and saying it, regardless of whether or not he believed the words leaving his mouth. “We’re going to find him, cuz.”

“I hope you’re right,” Kono murmured, her eyes still following Steve and Danny as they made their way down the hallway. She only glanced away when they vanished from sight. “Because I don’t think the boss is going to be able to function much longer in a world where the man responsible for his parents’ murders walks free.”

“I don’t blame him,” Chin murmured under his breath.

Kono sighed, shaking her head. “Yeah, neither do I,” she muttered back, bringing up their suspect’s financials for a second time.

***

Unfortunately, there was nothing to be found at their suspect’s apartment that HPD hadn’t already turned over to the lab. Steve was far from pleased as he made his way back into the office with Danny on his heels. “Anything from HPD or TSA?” he asked as he came to stand beside Kono once again, his eyes focusing on the screen.

“No,” Kono said apologetically. “But we did find something that might be of interest to you. Every month for the past five years, Sato has been depositing money into the account of an Adriana Beaumont. She’s a local grad student, lives in Waimanalo with her four-year-old daughter, Kate. We asked County to pull the little girl’s birth certificate. Sato is listed as the biological father.”

“So, he has a kid?” Danny questioned, scoffing quietly at the news. “Great. Another innocent person this scumbag is going to end up destroying one of these days.” He shook his head. “Does the mother have a criminal record?”

“A sealed one,” Kono informed him. “She and Sato ran in the same circles when they were kids, but she got out of that life years ago, graduated top of her class from UH a few years back. She’s going for her PhD in Biology, wants to be a researcher.”

“Well, at least the little girl’s got one parent who gives a crap,” Danny muttered under his breath.

Steve glanced towards his partner, then redirected his attention to Kono. “Has anyone been to talk to Ms. Beaumont?”

“Nope,” Kono informed him just as his phone dinged. “That one is on the two of you. I just sent you her address. Figured you’d want to be the one to bring her in.”

“Why?” Steve asked confusedly.

“Well, because she may be in contact with the man helping an international terrorist flee the country, but she’s still a mother,” Kono stated logically. “And you’re a gentleman, which cannot be said for every male wearing an HPD badge. So, the two of you are everyone’s best bet, aren’t you?”

“Thanks, Kalakaua,” Steve said over his shoulder as he made his way towards the door, Danny again following closely behind. “You’re the best.”

“I know,” Kono called back amusedly. She shook her head when her cousin shot her a knowing look. “Why are you looking at me like that?” she questioned exasperatedly. “He’s my friend. We’re friends.”

“I seem to recall you saying the same thing about another former football star back in the day. What was his name? Alex Kalani?” Chin reminded her with a wry smirk. “If I recall correctly, the two of you ended up spending quite a bit of time together by the time everything was said and done.”

“Chin, Alex Kalani stood me up on my sixteenth birthday,” Kono reminded him. “It was the first time I’d been home in six months, and he was a no-show at the party.”

“Well, McGarrett is too much of a gentleman for there to be a repeat of that,” Chin assured her, shrugging when she shot him an unimpressed look. “I’m just saying, kid. You could do a lot worse than him.”

“I’m aware of that, Chin,” Kono told him flatly. “I’m sure most women could do a lot worse than the decorated naval officer who risked life and limb half a dozen times defending his country and his fellow servicemen. That does not change the fact that Steve and I are just friends. You need to stop spending so much time with my mother. Her hopes for a son-in-law and grandchildren are manifesting themselves in you.”

Chin shook his head, knowing smile still in place. “Whatever you say, Kono.”

Kono groaned internally. Sometimes she really hated how close-knit her family truly was.

***

“Look, Adriana,” Steve interrupted when the woman seated in the interrogation room tried once again to deny any contact with their suspect. “We understand that you’re not part of that world anymore, all right? You’ve got a daughter now, you don’t want her anywhere near that life; we get that. However, we also know that your own father walked out on you when you were six years old. Nobody who has been through that wants the same for their children. You want what’s best for your daughter, which can only mean one thing.”

Steve smiled sadly when the woman glanced up at him, her fear obvious in her gaze. “You haven’t cut Sato out of your life, Adriana. Everyone else is gone, they’re out in the cold, but he is still around. And now, he’s involved with all the wrong people, people who want to hurt innocents all over the world, including here on this island. The guy he’s helping murdered a friend of mine. Sato knew about that, and he still helped him. That makes him an accessory, and if you’re protecting him, then you are also protecting the man responsible for that murder, which puts you in the same boat as your ex-boyfriend. Do you really want your daughter to know what it feels like to grow up with both parents behind bars?”

Adriana Beaumont shook her head. “I know this guy’s a bad guy,” she said, her eyes wide as they met Steve’s. “And I know Touma made a mistake by helping him. What I don’t know is where he is. Do you honestly think I’d let the father of my child protect an international terrorist and say nothing about it to you? This is the world my little girl is going to inherit one day, Commander McGarrett. I’d like it to still be intact when she does.”

“We’re not saying you know where he is,” Danny informed her from the corner. “We’re saying you’re the only person on this island that might have an idea of where he’d go. That flight to Tokyo’s not supposed to leave for another four hours, Ms. Beaumont. Just give us your best guess. Where would he take Wo Fat until then?”

The brunette woman drew in a deep breath and closed her eyes. “His grandparents had a place out in Manoa when he was a kid,” she said finally. “It’s been vacant for over a decade now. He sometimes takes his boys up there when they want to get away from the boss.”

Steve exhaled quietly. “Thank you,” he said as he headed for the door, holding it open and allowing Danny to exit first. They had someplace to be, and they needed to get there quickly.

***

“Clear!” Steve called out frustratedly. They’d searched nearly every single room in the house Adriana had pointed them towards, and they’d yet to find anything.

“Hey, boss,” Kono called from the next room over, her voice slightly on edge. “I think you should probably come check this out.”

Steve holstered his weapon and then did as told, coming to an abrupt halt when he caught sight of Kono kneeling next to Touma Sato himself, her fingers pressed to his neck as she searched for a pulse. She nodded when she glanced up at him, indicating she’d been able to find one. He removed his phone from his pocket and dialed 911, relaying all the relevant information to the dispatcher before ending the call.

“Well, at least we know now that Wo Fat hasn’t gotten any more loyal,” Kono said as two uniformed officers came in to watch over their suspect so that they could return to their search. “He treated Sato here as coldly as he’s treated every other one of his associates.” She thanked him when he helped her up from the floor, then followed him from the room. “So,” she began as she brushed her hands off against her pants, “what do we do now?”

“Now, we continue our search,” Steve informed her as he led her down the hallway. “Even the most perfect criminal can’t be perfect in that much of a hurry. Wo Fat left something behind that tells us what his next step is. All we have to do now is find it.”

“Oh, is that all?” Kono asked sarcastically, though she followed after him without argument.

“Have faith, Kalakaua,” Steve said over his shoulder. “He’s not going to win this time, remember?”

“Firstly, you need to stop talking to my cousin so much. Secondly, don’t quote me to me,” Kono warned, pointing a finger in his direction. She shook her head when he just stared at her amusedly. “You’re not as easy to intimidate as my cousins are,” she muttered under her breath.

“Yeah, I’d hope not,” Steve whispered back amusedly. “We got anything yet?” Steve asked Danny and Chin. Before they could answer, his phone began ringing in his pocket. “McGarrett,” he answered after a moment. He froze in place as the information was relayed to him. “I… all right. Thanks, Duke.” He stared blankly at the device in his hand after ending the call. “Wo Fat just turned himself in at the airport. He’s in custody.”

“Even the best criminals make mistakes, right?” Kono reminded him.

“Yeah,” Steve said, his focus still on the phone resting in his palm. “I’m just worried this isn’t one of them, that’s all.”

***

Wo Fat was sitting in an interrogation room at HPD Headquarters when Steve and the rest of his team arrived. “Maybe you should just let them question him,” Danny suggested from next to his partner. “They seem to be doing an okay job.”

“They’re not going to be able to break him,” Steve muttered back, causing Kono to glance concernedly in his direction. “It’s like Kaye told us before she left. He used to work for the good guys. Where he comes from, the good guys are used to being treated like the bad guys. They teach them how to make it through interrogation without letting any crucial detail slip out.”

Danny nodded begrudgingly, staring after his partner as he left. He turned towards Kono moments later. “I already lost Matt,” he said under his breath, causing her to meet his eyes. “I can’t really afford to lose any more of my family, you know?”

“Steve’s going to be fine,” she assured him. “And don’t worry, I won’t let him know you even see him as family, let alone as a brother.”

“Yeah, I’d appreciate that,” Danny informed her, smiling when she simply smirked at him. “So, uh…” He gestured in the direction Steve had just wandered. “You ever going to tell anyone what’s going on there?”

“Nothing,” she told him, trying to ignore the uncertainty she herself heard in her tone.

“Oh, really? Because every time I saw you after he was taken in for those murders, even when you were without a badge for those few days until you were cleared by IA, the first question you asked was whether he was okay. And it was the exact same with him.” Danny laid a hand on her shoulder when she started to protest. “Look, Kono. The guy doesn’t talk about his emotions. Ever. But he was worried about you, and you were worried about him, and I… I don’t know. I’m just someone who thinks that probably means something, that’s all.”

“You and Chin were worried about him too,” Kono pointed out logically.

“Not in the same way.” Danny squeezed her shoulder. “I’m not telling you what to do with your life, rookie. I just thought you should know, that’s all.”

“I am going to punch both you and Chin,” she warned the detective as he walked away.

“Eh, not the first time a pretty girl has threatened me with that,” he called back to her. “I’m hopeful it won’t be the last.”

“You’re a pig!” she informed him laughingly.

“Again, not the worst thing I’ve been called.” Danny rounded the corner to discuss something with the arresting detectives, and Kono was left to stand with her cousin, who was again staring at her knowingly.

“Shut up,” she said before Chin could even speak. So, maybe he was right. He didn’t need to rub it in, now did he?

***

Steve emerged from the interrogation room after over two hours, a befuddled look on his face. Danny and Chin were off doing whatever it was detectives did in situations such as this, so Kono was the only one left standing outside when he walked out. She pushed away from the wall to approach him.

  
“So?” she questioned as she came to stand in front of him.

He met her eyes after a moment, looking quite surprised to see her there as he did so. “He confessed to the murders,” he said after a moment. “To my father’s, to Laura’s, to the governor’s. He confessed to it all.”

“That’s a good thing, isn’t it?” Kono asked confusedly, wondering what was making her teammate look even more on edge now that he had confirmation than he had when he didn’t.

“It would be a better thing if I knew which angle he was playing,” Steve responded.

Kono shook her head. “Steve, it’s a win. Can we please treat it like one, and deal with the other skeletons he’s hidden away tomorrow?” she pleaded.

Steve exhaled quietly, then nodded. “Okay,” he agreed after a moment.

“Good. Now, come on. We’re going to go buy you a drink. You’ve been locked away for nearly a month. We’re going to buy you a lot of drinks.” She took him by the hand and pulled him down the hallway. “I know a place that has a law enforcement discount.”

“Yeah?” Steve asked, allowing her to tug him along behind her without argument.

“Yeah. My cousin’s the owner.” Kono stopped when she came to stand before the other members of their team. “He confessed; we’re celebrating,” she ordered. She smiled when they both handed over their paperwork and turned towards her without argument. It seemed no one was against getting drunk in the name of celebration. After what they’d endured in the past weeks, that was a very good thing.

***

It was nearly midnight when Chin left Steve and Kono alone at the bar, telling his cousin that he had something to do at home. Danny had ducked out several hours before to spend time with Grace and help her study for an upcoming spelling bee, which meant the rookie and naval officer were the only members of Five-O remaining on barstools when last call was announced. If Kono didn’t know better, she would’ve thought they’d done it on purpose.

(She did know better, which was how she knew that was exactly what they’d done. Those lovable, occasionally idiotic meddlers.)

“You okay?” Steve asked after a moment, pulling her from her thoughts. He shrugged when she glanced in her direction. “Danny told me about the suspension when he visited me at Halawa. I’m sorry about that, Kono. You shouldn’t have had to deal with it yourself.”

“Since you were busy beating false accusations of murder, I feel like I can let this one go.” Kono took a sip of her beer, then set it back on the counter. “It was only four days. They weren’t able to find anything concrete, though, believe me, they tried. I thought Fryer was going to burst an aneurism when he came in to tell me the charges had been dropped.”

Steve chuckled quietly at that. “So, you’re doing all right?”

“I’ve got no friends behind bars, the man who killed one of my friends is. Yeah, boss, I’d say I’m doing pretty good.” She smiled at him. “How about you? How are you doing?”

He returned her smile without hesitation. “I’d have to say I’m doing pretty good, too.”

***

 

He drove her home that night, stumbled over his words at her front door, and then, after what felt like an eternity, kissed her in the moonlight. In that moment, she was pretty sure everything had changed. When he showed up at her doorstep the following morning with coffee, she knew it had.

(There was no need to tell Danny and Chin just yet, however. They may’ve won this round, but they didn’t need to know that. If they did, neither Kono nor Steve would ever live it down.)

 


End file.
